It has been well known in the past to provide some form of an implement to facilitate the removing of food particles from between a person's teeth. Such items have been frequently referred to as a toothpick and generally take the form of an elongated pointed tool which is adapted to be inserted between a person's teeth and moved in order to dislodge any food particles and plaque located between the teeth.
It has been further found to be desirable to not only employ the use of a pointed instrument, but also to employ the use or a strand of thread which is commonly referred to as dental floss. A segment from the dental floss is to be stretched taut and then inserted between the person's teeth and moved back and forth in order to effect removal of any lodged food particles and plaque.
Over time, various persons have discovered that it is practical and useful to apply a segment of a strand of dental floss into an implement that can be inserted into the mouth and manipulated so as to properly control the application of the floss. These devices are commonly known as “flossers”. These devices provide a convenient mechanism for the flossing of teeth without the need for lengthy strands of floss. They also serve to more effectively reach into the spaces between the teeth so as to carry out flossing activities in a more effective manner.
In the past, various patents have issued relating to such flosser implements.
The earliest flosser apparatus that was revealed is in U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,899, issued on Jan. 23, 1940 to I. Henny. This patent describes a dental floss throw-away unit in which a single strand of thread extends between outwardly extending arms. A head is formed with the arms extending radially outwardly therefrom. The strand of floss extends in parallel relationship to the back of the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,341, issued on Aug. 11, 1953 to S. Moll teaches a dental floss holder which includes an elongated flexible member formed of plastic material. One end of the flexible member is rounded and provided with a transverse bore. A length of dental floss will extend through the transverse bore.
German Patent No. 29 23 057 teaches a dental floss applicator which includes a plurality of strands of floss which are far apart and extend in a plane which is perpendicular to the holder portion. Since the strands are not aligned with the shank portion of this flosser device, they are relatively difficult to apply as floss to one's teeth. The flosser is removably secured within a U-shaped head portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,518, issued on Jul. 28, 1981 to S. M. Gambaro teaches a tooth cleaning implement which includes an elongated member which has, at one end, a strand of dental floss tautly stretched thereacross. The opposite end of the elongated member is attached to a brush-like member which is used to facilitate the cleaning of teeth and dental bridges.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 276,088, issued on Oct. 23, 1984 to A. Fong describes a conventional flosser apparatus in which a single strand of floss is retained between a pair of arms extending outwardly of a head portion. A strand is connected to the head portion and extends so as to terminate at a pointed end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,216, issued on Jun. 11, 1985, to R. L. Bunker describes a dental floss applicator which comprises a solid rectangular shaped body fitted with a pair of adjacent end arms forming a yolk arrangement in which the floss is drawn so as to form an X-shaped pattern. A small button fastener on each side of the applicator body permits the fastening of the floss after it has been stretched taut around the yolk.
German Patent No. 3,831,039 issued to H. Bauer describes a device for cleaning the narrow space between a bridge and the jaw. A pair of threads are connected to a guide. The threads are arranged in parallel to each other and are connected to each other by a number of parallel transverse threads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,660, issued on May 21, 1991 to M. S. Boggs describes an automatic flossing tool having reciprocating tines supporting the flossing material and biased apart so as to assure proper tension on the flossing material. The device includes a means carried out by the tines for moving the flossing material between the tines and having a removable head so as to permit replacement of the head to provide sterile use for subsequent users.
In the recent past, it has been recognized that the above-identified flosser designs are often faulty because of the difficulty in placing the floss between the teeth and the difficulty associated with removing the floss from the teeth. In other circumstances, the close spacing of teeth will make it difficult to place the floss, in a slackened condition, between the teeth. Since the floss between the arms of the flosser apparatus of these prior designs is not in a very “tensioned” condition, then the floss can become frayed when placed in between and pulled out of the teeth. In order to overcome this problem, various U.S. patents have recently issued relating to the flosser apparatus with the ability to “tension” the strand prior to application and removal from the teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,023, issued on Jul. 23, 1996 to Oczkowski et al., describes a tensioning dental flosser having a holder, a bow and a length of dental floss spanning the bow. A movable element is provided which can cause a portion of the floss holder to move and tighten the strand of floss so as to reduce the slack in the floss. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,531, issued on Dec. 2, 1997 to 1. S. Chodorow, describes a dual strand dental flosser having a body part, first and second spaced apart arms extending from the body part, a first strand of dental floss extending axially between the arms and a second strand of dental floss extending axially between the arms and generally parallel to the first strand of dental floss. A lever mechanism extends from one of the arms which is movable so as to be moved toward the body part. When this lever is moved toward the body part, the first and second strands will tighten. U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,458, issued on Nov. 3, 1998 to I. S. Chodorow, describes a dental floss holder of similar construction to that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,531. It shows a variety of other mechanisms that can be used for tightening the dental floss.
There is a product on the market identified as the “GLIDE™” floss pick and manufactured by W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc. This is another type of flosser that includes a tensioning structure. In this device, the handles of the flosser can be squeezed together so as to cause the floss-holding arms to move away from each other about a pivot point spaced from the floss and between the floss and the pivot point.
One type of flosser apparatus is the subject of U.S. patent Publication No. 2003/0098037 published on May 29, 2003 to Dougan et al. This flosser apparatus includes a handle and has a detachable flosser element located at one end of the handle. The handle has a top side and a bottom side. The top side at one end of the handle has a channel formed therein with tongue-and-groove elements extending into the channel. The bottom surface of the end of the handle is slightly curved and unchanneled. The flosser element has a pair of arms with a small length of floss fixedly secured thereto and extending therebetween. A strut serves to connect the two arms and is spaced in generally parallel relationship to the small section of floss. This strut includes a tongue-and-groove configuration which is mating received by the tongue-and-groove configuration of the slot on the top surface of the handle. When the strut of the flosser element is inserted into the channel on the top surface of the handle, the flosser apparatus is ready for use on teeth. After the use of the apparatus is completed, an upward force can be applied to the ends of the arms opposite the strut of the flosser element so as to cause the flosser element to separate from the channel formed on the top side to the handle.
Unfortunately, the flosser apparatus of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0098037 presents certain problems to the users. First, it is somewhat difficult to release the flosser element from the channel on the top side of the handle. Secondly, the flosser element is positioned in only one direction in which the length floss extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. It is intended that the device be used in a manner of a toothbrush such that the handle will allow the user to reach the distant surfaces of the teeth. Unfortunately, the particular configuration of the floss extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle makes the device somewhat difficult to use on the front teeth. Some difficult manipulations of the handle are required so that the floss is positioned in such a manner as to extend between the front teeth of the user. Subsequent to use, the prior art device makes it difficult to release the used flosser element and insert a new flosser element into the channel. In many circumstances, contamination of hereto flosser element can result from a manual manipulation for installation.
Prior U.S. application Ser. No. 10/698,006, filed on Oct. 30, 2003 to the present inventor, does describe a solution to the above-identified problems. This U.S. present application describes a flosser apparatus that has a handle with a first slot formed into a surface at a first end of the handle and a second slot formed into the surface adjacent the first end of the handle and extending in transverse relationship to the first slot. A locking member is slidable affixed to the handle. A flosser element is removably received in one of the slots. The locking member serves to retain the flosser element within one of the slots. After experimentation with the device of this prior application, it was felt important that the locking member be releasably retained in the position whereby the locking member retains the flosser element in the slot. Under certain circumstances, it may be possible that the locking member would slide rearwardly during use so as to inadvertently release the flosser element from its position within one of the slots.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flosser apparatus in which the detachable flosser element can be positioned at different angles relative to the handle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flosser apparatus whereby the detachable flosser element can be easily positioned and secured onto the handle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flosser apparatus whereby the flosser element can be easily released from its receptacle on the handle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flosser apparatus whereby the mechanism of locking the flosser element to the handle causes the arms associated with the flosser element to spread and tighten the floss extending between the arms.
It is a further object to the present invention to avoid contamination of the flosser element during installation and removal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a flosser element which has a locking element whereby the locking member is positively retained in position so as to secure the flosser element in a slot.
It is a further object of the present invention to positively retain the flosser element in the desired slot.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a flosser element whereby the accidental release of the flosser element is avoided.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flosser apparatus which is easy to use, relatively inexpensive, and easy to manufacture and assemble.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.